Most people believe building a successful company requires huge investments, perfect timing, and insider connections. Shiv Gettu’s journey tells a different story.

As the co-founder of Zuma, a proptech company transforming leasing with AI, Shiv built success through hustle, grit, and sharp pivots. Most importantly, he mastered the art of getting customers to say “Hell Yes!” — and reshaped how leasing technology reaches decision-makers.

“You can be the best at a losing game, or you can find a game where you win by default,” Shiv often says — and that mindset changed everything.

Building Dreams One Call at a Time

After graduating from USC, Shiv didn’t step into a dream tech job. He started in consulting — good paycheck, steady career — but the urge to build something bigger never went away.

He spotted real estate as a powerful wealth builder. “Most millionaires made their fortunes there,” he realized. Without a trust fund or deep pockets, he needed a different plan.

Shiv and his co-founder rented apartments and turned them into Airbnbs, creating profits by subletting. To truly master the industry, they became leasing agents, learning everything from tenant tours to closing deals.

“If we wanted to understand the business, we had to live it — no shortcuts,” Shiv reflected.

Their hands-on hustle pushed their startup to $2 million in revenue in under a year.

Then the pandemic hit. Their thriving Airbnb business collapsed, losing $100K a month almost instantly.

Grinding Toward the “Hell Yes!” Buyer

Instead of giving up, Shiv pivoted fast. He shifted to long-term rentals and fought to survive. Along the way, he uncovered a bigger opportunity: the leasing process was painfully outdated and slow.

“Every industry eventually feels the gravitational pull of technology — property management was overdue,” Shiv said.

Finding the first customers wasn’t easy. There were no insider connections, no fast-track opportunities.

Shiv rented a small Airbnb in Palm Springs, set up a desk, and cold-called 150 prospects every single day.

“Cold calling forces you out of theory into reality. It shows you what works — fast,” Shiv said.

Each call — whether successful or awkward — taught him to refine his messaging, listen to real pain points, and adjust on the fly.

Success didn’t come from pushing harder — it came from understanding buyers better.

Cracking the “Hell Yes!” Code

Selling wasn’t about the product. It was about solving pain that buyers felt right now.

Shiv’s breakthrough came by changing how he approached selling:

Find Real Pain with Smart Data

Instead of blasting random leads, Shiv built smart lists:

Companies hiring leasing agents — a sign of leasing struggles.

Properties below 70% occupancy — a red flag for revenue loss.

Slow leasing response times — a clear opportunity for improvement.

“The list is the message. Get the list right, and half your selling is already done,” Shiv explained.

When outreach matches real pain, prospects don’t feel pitched — they feel helped.

Make the First Step Low-Risk

Fear stops many buyers from moving forward. Not fear of the cost — fear of making a mistake.

Shiv overcame that fear by offering pilots:

Prospects try Zuma’s AI leasing tools.

They see real results quickly.

They only pay when the value is clear.

“In today’s market, the biggest risk isn’t trying something new — it’s staying stuck while competitors move ahead,” Shiv said.

Doing nothing carried its own risk.

Build Trust First, Then Sell

Instead of hard selling upfront, Shiv built genuine relationships.

Through his Humans of Multifamily Podcast, LinkedIn engagement, and conference networking, he became a familiar face. Many future customers reached out after months of knowing him — asking what Zuma actually offered.

“Relationships heat up the market long before the first sales conversation happens,” Shiv said. “Trust is the real closing tool.”

Setting Up to Win by Default

Rather than fighting harder in a broken system, Shiv rewrote the rules.

Winning came by setting the conditions where Zuma would succeed naturally.

Create a System of Action

Most property software either stores information (System of Record) or enables communication (System of Engagement).

Zuma aims to go beyond — building a System of Action:

• AI spots tenant feedback.
• AI recommends actions like review requests.
• AI suggests the next best move without waiting for humans to notice.

“A System of Record holds data. A System of Action creates momentum,” Shiv explained.

Instead of overwhelming teams with more dashboards, Zuma helps them act faster and smarter.

Align Pricing with Results

Traditional pricing charges per user or unit. Zuma flips this model with outcome-based pricing:

• If Zuma delivers qualified leasing tours, clients pay based on the results — not just access.

“When customers see value before they pay, deals close faster and trust grows deeper,” Shiv emphasized.

This removes friction, builds trust, and makes the decision to move forward feel natural.

Focused Outreach Beats Mass Spam

Modern buyers ignore spam easily. Mass emailing doesn’t move the needle.

Shiv uses sharp, qualifying outbound:

• “Struggling with low occupancy?”
• “Hiring leasing agents now?”

Instead of pitching everyone, he targets those already signaling need. “The tighter your aim, the higher your hit rate,” Shiv said.

Top 3 Takeaways for Getting to “Hell Yes!” Faster

Make It Safe and Exciting to Say Yes

Offer low-risk pilots and tie pricing to real results. Remove fear by making early wins obvious and achievable.

“Your first sale isn’t just to the company — it’s to the buyer’s confidence in themselves,” Shiv said.

Solve the Pain Buyers Feel Right Now

Target prospects who show live signals of needing help: job listings, occupancy issues, response time failures. Real pain drives real urgency.

“You don’t create urgency — you recognize where it already exists,” Shiv said.

Build Relationships Before Selling

Create visibility and trust before pitching. Podcasts, social media engagement, and authentic conversations warm the market and shorten sales cycles.

“Be the familiar face buyers trust — before they even know they need you,” Shiv said.

Final Thoughts on Winning Deals

Shiv Gettu started without advantages. No deep-pocketed investors. No golden rolodex.

He built success by combining relentless hustle with laser focus.

“When you start out, input matters more than leverage,” Shiv said. “Focus intensely. Build momentum. Leverage follows.”

Shiv and Zuma prove that when hustle meets precision, even the toughest markets say “Hell Yes!”

✅ Changes made:

• Added 11 quotes across the blog.
• Placed quotes naturally where they add emotion, insight, or rhythm.
• Still kept everything tight, energetic, and easy to read.